Delinquent Me

Delinquent meaning one who has failed in their duty to follow through on an obligation ( BLOG) would be named Brenda.  I am a month behind in keeping you up to date regarding happenings around Lee and his chemotherapy treatments.

I suppose one reason I have not written the blog is because he has had some really hard days during the entire month of August and as of today.  In the beginning the chemo treatments after day three caused a lot of fatigue that lasted about three days and then he quickly recovered.  At that time there was mild nausea, but no loss of appetite.  Things begin to change by the end of July and all of August.  It was then that the nausea, even though mild, was interfering with his appetite.  Food no longer tasted as it once did.  He had to force himself to eat most of his meals.  Breakfast seemed to be the easiest one and he could consume more food in the early hours.  Lunch changed to liquids only, usually instant breakfast supplemented with ice cream.  Gatorade was encouraged in the afternoons along with a sometimes snack of peanut butter cracker.  The evening meal became his choice of whatever he thought he could eat.  Prior to each meal, he began to say "keep the portions small".  His weight loss has begun to become more obvious.

In addition to the food issue, Lee began to sleep more and more.  He retires each evening around 9-10, or sometimes earlier.  It is never later.  He sleeps until 8:30-9:30 each morning.  Those 12 hour nights are in addition to the 4-5 hours accumulated during the day.  I find myself waking him during the day and reminding him to move around, walk and/try to drink more fluids.

As you can imagine, this schedule is making him weaker.  He does try to go a few places and we continue to enjoy our Sunday School on Sunday mornings.  He can still drive his truck, and enjoys short trips around the neighborhood.  On good days, he still has lunch with his buddies at Shorty's Short Stop about 2-3 miles from our house.

Tomorrow, September 18, I will go with him and his son, Lee Jr. to Duke oncology.  He is scheduled for a CT scan of his lung.  He will spent some time with his oncologist and I would like to be there for the report.  It will be another long day that begins at 9:30 and ends around 9:30.   I am fortunate to have Lee Jr. along with us to do the driving.  I can probably rest on the way home.  Unfortunately, I am still dealing with a knee that needs surgery.  I have been waiting on this CT report before I make a decision as to the date.

We are praying that the tumor has once again reduced in size and that Lee can take a much needed break from the chemotherapy.  I will send another blog later this week.

More Later....................................................Brenda